1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a production installation                with several processing machines which are disposed next to each other in a row;        with a loading transport means which comprises                    a transport rail connecting the processing machines,            at least one loading means which is movable on the transport rail; and            at least one workpiece gripper disposed on the loading means for supplying the processing machines with workpieces to be processed and for removing processed workpieces from the processing machines;                        with a supply transport means for supplying workpieces to be processed to the loading transport means in a transport direction, transverse to the direction of the transport rail; and        with a discharge transport means for unloading processed workpieces from the loading transport means in a transport direction transverse to the direction of the transport rail.        
2. Background Art
Production installations of this type are widely used and are disclosed e.g. in EP 1 084 794 A1 or WO 02/00388 A1 or DE 197 56 278 A. They are also referred to as production lines and comprise several processing machines which are disposed next to each other to or from which workpieces are supplied or removed using a loading transport means and a transfer means serving as a loading means. These conventional production installations are of very complex construction.